


After and Before

by lasvegas_lights



Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 17:30:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13506393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lasvegas_lights/pseuds/lasvegas_lights
Summary: Martin helps Amanda after her first attack since returning from Wendimoor





	After and Before

The sound of the fire crackling and spitting gets drowned out by the unmistakeable rumble of the van as it nears her location.

The engine cuts out, the door opens and there’s a thud as two boots land on the ground before the slam of the door being closed.

She knows it’s Martin, back from a supply run. It’s amazing how quickly the boys and the Beast can drink their way through a cooler of beer. Whilst the others greet him, Amanda stays where she is, too drained to move.

She hears them talking.

“All good?” Martin asks. There’s a schnick sound of his lighter and the faint smell of tobacco soon after.

“Drummer fed us.” Vogel reports. Without looking Amanda knows he’s jumping around the place, energised by the recent feeding.

“That so.”

She can feel his eyes on her.

She’s not sure when she started being able to know when he was looking, but since reuniting in Wendimoor, something between her and the mohawked Rowdy has shifted. The beginning of something swirls around them every day: looks, touches, electricity.

Footsteps come towards her and she doesn’t react when they stop beside her head. Pausing for a moment, Martin finally lowers himself to the ground. He stretches out his body alongside Amanda’s, his head level with hers. She can feel Martin’s arm pressed against the body and tightens her grip on the hem of the blanket wrapped around her in response. This far out of town, the stars stand out against the black sky and she stares at them to stop herself from looking at him.

“You okay Drummer?” The softness to his voice surprises her momentarily.

“It was just an attack…had plenty before, there will be more to come.” She can’t help the resignation that pours from her.

“First since we returned.” Martin reminds her, not that Amanda needs reminding.

She lets out a shaky breath, her throat tight and her eyes sting from weariness. “I can’t control it here,” She says. “For those few days we were there, I had power over my illness, power over the pain…I’ve just been reminded I don’t anymore.”

She can still feel the cutting pain of broken glass slicing through her skin, blood dripping down her arms. Her chest still hurts from the screams the attack pulled from her. Vogel, Gripps and Cross were with her in seconds and the familiar feeling of them hungrily taking her emotions soon overtook everything else. There had been new visions, fragmented and frustrating which she knows will soon lead them on their next adventure.

“If we found a way, you wanna go back?” Martin asks.

“Yes…no…I don’t know.”

“If that’s what you want, we can find a way.”

She doesn’t know whether to kiss him or cry. She’s been let down so many times in her life. Her parents after her diagnosis, her brother after discovering his many lies to her and men, one after the other abandoning her because they couldn’t deal with her condition. But Martin never lets her down. He would walk across hot coals if she asked him to, without question, and knowing that makes all the pain she has to go through worth it.

Her face crumples but she forces the tears back down and instead turns into Martin, tucking her head into his shoulder and hugging his arm against her body. “I know.” Her fingers press into his skin and the feel of his steady pulse calms her. “Thank you.” She whispers.

His free hand comes up and begins stroking her hair. The repetitive motion leaves her body relaxed and sleepy. She’s exhausted but Martin’s touch is making her feel human again. Before slipping under, there’s a press of dry lips against her temple and she holds onto Martin just a little bit tighter in response.

Another shift will happen between them soon and then she’ll finally knows what he tastes like, will know what it feels like to be wrapped in his arms completely, but Amanda’s in no rush. Half the fun is the anticipation which continues to build. The results will be explosive.


End file.
